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Monday, July 28, 2008

I Wanna Be In the Light...Always?

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9

We had lived in our house a few weeks before I realized our "light" situation. In our last home, our miniature dachshund, Cocoa, would doze for hours in the warmth of sunlight that flooded through the many windows. She had to work at it just a bit, moving from one side of the sofa to another (often in quite precarious positions...balancing on any surface in order to stay in the rectangular sunshape), then move from sofa to carpet, from carpets to hardwoods, from one room to another as she was forced to follow the sun's movement from the east side to the west side of the house. Oh how she loved being in the light. At our current address, we get no direct sunlight into the downstairs. We have the luxury of having a front porch and a screened in back porch...but their roofs (and the angle of our house) prevent the sun from shining in directly. Good for our air conditioning bill. Bad for Cocoa.

When I'm home in the summertime, Cocoa will often let me know that she would like to go out on the screened porch and sprawl in her bed where the sun shines unhindered...and the fan blows a gentle breeze...and the smells of grilling linger, as well as the honeysuckle or gardenias. What a life!

You know, if Cocoa had her choice, she would probably love to stay in that light, but that option isn't there. Once school starts back we can't just leave the door open for her to come and go as she pleases. When winter comes, it's just too cold for a dog her age. So Cocoa is limited. Her opportunities to bask in the light are confined to our schedules, the seasons, cloud cover, and so on.

So how do we feel about the light? We are instructed in Ephesians 5:8b, to "Live as children of light." As I was pondering my own feelings about the light and humming DC Talk's song, "In The Light," ("I want to...or wanna... be in the light as you are in the light. I want to shine like the stars in the heavens. Oh Lord be my light and be my salvation. All I want is to be in the light.") it occurred to me that even though "light" and "warmth" and "sunshine" sound snug and cozy and cheery, do we realize the boldness of the statement, "All I want is to be in the light."? Light, in this case, is not synonymous with ease.

If we are truly walking and living in the light, we must be willing to allow the penetration of the light that exposes our sin...each and every one...the blatant and those that "fly under the radar" of our own minds. Are we willing to accept that exposure and purging? We must.

Are we willing to walk in the light of His Word? Not just the "feel good" parts, but the parts that require radical obedience as well?

Will we keep looking to the One who is the Light even when life's road is rough and our spiritual "skin" feels burned and dried out? Mmmm, the words to the well known hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" just came to mind. "O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s a light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. Through death into life everlasting, He passed, and we follow Him there; Over us sin no more hath dominion—For more than conquerors we are! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. His Word shall not fail you—He promised; Believe Him, and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace." (Helen H. Lemmel)

Yes, all I want is to be in the light...even if it's not always cheery or easy. Oh Lord, be my light and my salvation.

Our Father, our Light, cleanse us and guide us in your way everlasting. Be all that we can't be on our own. Thank you for Your glory...that outshines anything...and for your grace. Thank you for choosing us, for allowing us to belong to you. We bow on our knees and cry, "Holy."

3 comments:

i went through this little season back in april relating plant life to spiritual life... my favorite part, by far, was a plants dependence on light- like our dependence on the Light. it posted in early april i think. thanks for reminding and encouraging me to stay in the light!